UMass Medical Center Bandsters

[lucy12 0]

WOW!! you are doing great with your weight loss. Keep up the great work! It must be great to have such a wonderful tool to keep ya going you will be a skinny mini soon:thumbup:

How are your cravings??? Do you miss food??? I am getting nervous 26 more days. Of course I will go on the liquid diet on the May 14. I want this lap band so bad that now I thinking what if I fail. Are you doing a work out routine??? Any suggestions or tips for me:scared2:

Keep up the great work:thumbup:

[amm.imperial 1]

I don't miss any foods. I know that I can have a TASTE of whatever I'm craving. That way, I'm never feeling deprived. After only one month, I'm finding the two things I need to work on more diligently, is working out regularly. I don't have a routine yet. I also find a house party with food spread out is difficult for me. I'm actually avoiding going to one right now. I'm picking and choosing which ones I can get thru, and which ones I won't be strong enough for. I let the hosts know the issue is me, not their party, and when I am stronger, I'll be back. :-)

[marypetunia 0]

Der Mich and Lucy and Kathryn,

CONGRATULATIONS on your upcoming banding!!! You are going to love it and you will do really well because you're taking the time NOW to prepare!! It helped me alot to be in touch with others before I was banded. It took alot of the questions and "scariness" away when I knew what to expect. It also got me over lots of "humps" when I realized they were a normal part of learning new behaviors with the band. YAYY!!!!

[lucy12 0]

Thank you for sharing your experience. You are amazing:thumbup: I hope I will be as strong as you. This website is great I have learned so much about the lap band its pro’s and con’s. I know that my pro’s out weigh my con’s; so why am I stressing out :scared2:I sure its normal. I have talked to everyone I know about this procedure and some are for it and some are not. Drives me nuts when they say you don’t need this lap band your fine just the way you are :ohmy:Are they nuts. It’s like saying gee she might be fat but she has a pretty face. I am staying close to the positive people and will be attending a lap band meeting this month before I go in for surgery. Thanks for letting me rant and rave about my problems.:sad:

XOXXOX

MAG

Lucy12

Pre Op May 12th:scared2:

Surgery May 29th:thumbup:

[marypetunia 0]

Yes, Mag, stick with the positive! I couldn't wait to get to surgery after the months of waiting and going through the program. I was SO ready to get to the other side of the journey! I was told numerous times that the band was not the best choice for me and I should have a bypass...so I had to keep positive by coming to this site and reading all the great reports of others who were my size being successful with the band...... it really kept me going many times, so I am grateful for the sharing. Who is doing your surgery? Dr. C is my band doc and he is wonderful! Will you be at the end of the month meeting at UMass?

Kathryn Rose...Is tomorrow still your big day????????????? Tell Dr. C that Mary Ballotte is cheering you on!!!!! :sad:

[amm.imperial 1]

Lots of people say I am fine, too. I am quick to tell them it isn't about how I look. I then I start listing off all the other medical reasons that have shown up most likely because of the weight. People I was friendly with last summer, I let them know exactly how heavy I was last summer. Once I let them know I was over 300, they stop.

I've now got people who want to have it done because they are disgusted with how they look. I am quick to tell them to talk to their primary care, and that surgery (either one) isn't for everyone.

[KathrynRose 0]

I am now banded. I can't wait until the June end of the month meeting, will any of you be there.

Right now my port incision really hurts, but everything else feels fine. Actually it only hurts if I get up and walk.

[amm.imperial 1]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Are you home? That is awesome. That incision is where they poked all the stuff in, mine was the most sore, too.

Hope to see you soon, I know I am going to the May meeting, not sure about June yet. I'll let you know.

[mich 74]

Congratulations!!!:thumbup: Wishing you fast healing!

I am really feeling down about this whole Umass process and would love some advice is you can spare it. My psychologist/ readiness letter appointment is next week (Monday). I am only down a few pounds since my initial intake appointment in November. When the woman on the phone gave the appointment last week she said "Well you better make sure your weight is down by then"

Her negative words are spinning through my head every hour and I have not lost an ounce since that call, not surprising really, the reason I am willing to have surgery is because of my 20 year diet failure.

Anyway, I am frustrated because I know it's important to loose weight before surgery to shrink your liver and make the operation safer. I know I can do this with a liquid diet before surgery. But It seems like they will not let me move on and meet the surgeon until I loose weight. I could do liquids now and be down by Monday, but I worry it will only be a short term loss and that I will be back to normal when I do meet the Dr. and then it will look like I gained!

Any advice is welcome... I am also considering switching programs and posted about that in the main forum. But I would love to hear from you folks who have been or are going through Umass.

Thank You.

[amm.imperial 1]

STICK WITH IT!!!!

First, you should NOT be getting negative feedback from any of the front staff people. Please let your psych person know!!!

Don't get discouraged. How easy was that for me to say? :-)

It has taken you 20 yrs to come to terms with this battle.

IF and only if, and not UNTIL you are told you need to lose a few more pounds should you worry about it!!!!

I was never given a specific amount to lose. It is different for everyone. I expected to be told I needed to lose X amount before I could go on, and it never happened. A couple here, a couple there and they were satisfied that I was on the right track.

WHEN, you are told to lose a few more, ask for tips, ideas etc. If you haven't had the nutrition classes yet, be patient. If you have, take out those materials again, and see if there is something you could change, that isn't torture, every little bit helps.

PLEASE, tell someone about that comment. That is the one place we don't need the crap! That person probably thought they were being encouraging, but is clueless.

[mich 74]

Thank you so much You are right, I am getting way ahead of myself. I was not told I need to loose a set number of pounds. It's just all this talk (from the nutritionist and psychologist) of 10% that has me freaked out. There is no way I can loose 10%. But I can loose a few pounds by Monday. So I am going to just focus, calm down, and be confident that I can do this.

I will be talking to her about the phone comment. Can I ask, how have you found the after care? Are you happy with the fill schedule. Are the surgeon's office workers and staff helpful or nice? I hope that comment was a fluke, but I am still worried about more negative comments in the future.

Thanks again for your reply.

[amm.imperial 1]

There was some discussion about the wrong comments getting said in the office by the office staff at the last monthly meeting.

One of the staffers at the meeting was quite concerned and wanted to know exactly which person said it. My impression is that it is being dealt with.

I was never told 10% even; just a steady decline, and when I thought it was just a pound or two and was expecting them to tell me to keep trying, they were happy and sent me on to the next step.

Don't anticipate, just take it as it comes.

We will always get stupid comments, it's one of the tools we need to learn. Don't let the idiots get you down. Have you told many friends and family your plans? You'll get the strangest comments from the most unsuspecting people.

So far, I've only been for my 2 week post-op and it was fine. My first fill is next week and that will be one month after surgery. This is also one of those things that will be based on the individual, I suspect.

My only complaint about the staff and care is that most of my appointments run VERY late. One of them, I didn't get called in until more than an hour after my appointment time.

A couple of them have been decent, so it must depend on the day.

The support after the fact is the main reason I recommend UMASS. We can all do some drastic thing and take the weight off, it's the keeping it off that is the real issue. This program has a plan in place to help us with that already.

[marypetunia 0]

KathrynRose, CONGRATULATIONS on your banding!!! The port area is the most sensitive because it's been attached to the muscle. But it will get better. SO glad to hear you're doing well. How are you doing following the liquid phase so far? Are you doing Protein shakes and/or Instant Breakfast? I had found a Protein Drink online that was more like a Kool-aid which helped give more variety than the milk based ones. How is your hunger level? Following the eating plan in the beginning will give you a great start. COngrats!!!

AMM, Isn't it wonderful to be on the "losing" side of things? You're doing great! I haven't had long waits over my two years at UMass, hopefully it was a fluke and you won't have to wait on your next one. I'd love to meet up with you and the others at the May meeting. Maybe we could arrange to get there 15 minutes early or something?? ANyone interested?

Lucy/MAG, Your date will soon be here! YAY! I guess we won't see you at the meeting since that's your surgery date! Is Dr. C doing your surgery?

MICH, DOn't get discouraged, I couldn't lose an ounce, I actually gained the first 8 months in the program. I was VERY frustrated. No matter how hard I tried to diet, the scale would't budge. It had been a stressful year. I finally joined Curves and managed to finally move down the scale 3 pounds one month. I'm very grateful that Dr. C had a compassionate heart and even though I didn't lose a huge amount of weight, chose to file my paperwork for insurance for me which came through right away. ThAT was a turning point for me and my surgery date was finally set. It took me a year from the first meeting to my surgery, but it was all worth it!!! I was actually ready to give up when it all turned around. How far are you in the process? Don't let that negative comment get to you. Hang in there, it will be worth it in the end...you are doing something GOOD for yourself!!

[KathrynRose 0]

I am drinking the Carnation stuff. I feel like I am starving to death. I still have five more days of liquids. I also have to slow myself down when drinking. I think I could actually gulp the stuff down. I now try to wait three minutes in between drinks as a way to stretch it out 30 minutes.

[marypetunia 0]

Just a note, there is a meeting at UMass tonight, May 22...for some reason I kept thinking it was on the 29th....is anyone else going? I'll be there...would love to say hello to you if we can connect!

Mary